Ten To A Million
by Viperberry
Summary: An On Our Own miniseries. Apart from living through apocalypse horrors, the survivors experience a chain of bizarre events while adventuring the American east coast. Rated T for language, violence and darkness.
1. Hallow's Eve

**A/N: **

**Francis: *Facing laptop camera.* Happy Halloween.**

**Me, Beth and Kayla: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! *We happily scream as we full on jump on him from behind.***

**Francis: *Completely surprised and is knocked off a couch he was sitting on. We fall with him.* **

**Amber: *Rushes over to keep the laptop from toppling over as well. She sighs staring into the camera while setting back on its stand as Francis yells gibberish.* **

**Bill: So tough yet you're easily taken down by a few young ladies, uh? *Snickers smugly.***

**Francis: I weren't ready old man!/Bill: Seems you hardly are. *Sips coffee and looks out at the autumn scenery.*/Francis: You sayin' you're never caught off guard?! *Rises with all of us and drops us on the couch. We immediately scatter and he's ignored.* **

**This is a little spooky skit (hopefully) with the team celebrating Halloween in the apocalypse. It's also the start of a spinoff mini series of my main story: On Our Own.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any movies, songs or Left 4 Dead. They belong to their rightful owners.**

**Claimer: I own this story, plot, ideas and OC's.**

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A crisp breeze of cool autumn air wafted through tree branches. Swaying them as maple leaves in every shade of red, yellow and orange drifted away or skittered across the sidewalks of a long abandoned town. Rims of oranges and pinks merged with the majority of the sky, crossing over the horizon from a slowly setting sun.

It was hauntingly quiet in this town. It had been for a long time now. Ever since an unknown disease had swept the globe, and brought the race of humanity at its mercy in only a matter of weeks.

If it wasn't for violent outbursts of angry infected, dying victims who have succumbed to the sickness fighting one another or attacking a source that disturbed them, that's what most of everything was. Soundless.

Until…

"Happy Halloween ya'll!" Louis hollered excitedly. Pumping his arms in the air, disturbing that silence and creating an echo. The outburst startled the family since they were walking down the street not saying a word to each other; as their concentration was on scoping out threats and a place to hide out for the coming night.

"Quiet!" Bill hissed, clenching his teeth with all looking at the young African-American perplexed. "Honest to God I'm surprised no one's yelling hasn't brought 'em out yet." He groused the rest of his sentence; casting his worn eyes around their surroundings.

"But you guys, i-actually it's Halloween eve." Louis corrected himself, holding an index finger up.

Keirstan gave him a doubtful look by scrunching her face a bit. "How do you know that?" She questioned, with Amber tilting her head curiously from beside her.

Louis turned to face them and they all stopped in their tracks. His figure shadowed from blocking the sun's fading rays behind him. He smiled while pulling his coat open. "I've been able to keep track of the days since the infection began with this," he started, pulling out a small calendar from an inside pocket and flipping it open to the appropriate month. Each passing day was crossed out with a black X; the last two were blank. Everyone leaned in together for a better look as he explained. "I forgot to mention this to you earlier when I looked at it. Tomorrow's Halloween."

Just before he was done, Kayla released a sharp yell of excitement. A wide, gaping smile flashed over her face and her eyes shone brightly as she swayed Francis around while he carried her on his back. He was startled further from the abrupt noise and jolted before trying to keep his balance. The desperation showed in his own features, until his little sister leaped off his back. He staggered, slipped on wet entrails lying on the asphalt and he had to catch himself from falling in it. Beth, Zoey and Keirstan started dancing around him. Shouting happily about the holiday.

"Yes, YES, yes, YE-HAS." Kayla chanted, hopping away before taking off down the street. Beth followed, whooping with joy.

"Stop running oooooooooooffffffffffff!" Francis roared after them. "We won't be far!" Beth hollered; skipping around as she did to look at him, then reversing in the direction after her sibling.

"That ain't the point come back!"

"Where are they going?" Ian asked staring after the sisters whilst Francis regained footing. He cast a look at the two, then turned to Louis dangerously as Keirstan and Zoey held their arms over each other, howling and singing different songs. The analyst laughed silently, flashing his friend a toothy grin and held his hands up to shoulder level in defense; while Jordan shrugged in response to Ian.

"Thank you Louis. Really, thank you so much for this." Francis grumbled, bending down to retrieve his shotgun which had slipped off his shoulder from the pavement. He sighed and looked in their direction once more as he straightened. They were gone.

"Now I gotta find 'em before somethin' else does." The biker stated, striding ahead. He took out some bullets from a pocket and loaded the empty firearm, then switched the safety off.

Glaring around at the roofs and alleys he stormed after where the girls may have went. Both always got excited for Halloween. It was their favorite holiday after all. But no one knew it was the time of year until Louis mentioned it. So what did they want to do all of a sudden?

Jordan merrily skipped by. He bumped into Francis but continued to gracefully jump and spin around like a ballerina. _"~Beyond losses and pain there's always samhain.~" _He caroled with his eyes closed.

"Get your ass outta the way!" Zoey cut in with a loud voice. She and Keirstan charged through making Jordan open his eyes at the sound of stampeding footsteps; and they widened in panic seeing them coming. He shouted attempting to move away but the girls were too quick; and he was run down with brute force. Both had trampled him and neither one slowed or stopped to see if Jordan was alright where he laid in the road.

Francis stepped over him without a thought of yanking the boy to his feet, with the other two vanishing inside a small store. "Why does half of us take off like this whenever we get excited, and where the hell to." Ian tried again with annoyance lacing his words.

"I just wish you would all shut up." Bill replied crankily.

Francis was about to enter, finding Keirstan disappearing behind an aisle when he heard Beth's voice from the other side of the street. He turned around and spotted a second shop while Amber jogged through the entrance. She was shushing her friend so hard spit flew from her lips as she went and he followed.

Inside bags of candy of all kinds, reese's cups, sour patch kids, twix and mixed varieties were thrown at a shopping cart. Either making it in or bouncing off him or the trolley. He watched them drop, then slid his bored, half-lidded eyes ahead as they swept the place.

"Find any decorations?" Kayla called.

"No, not yet."

"Guys. Nobody knew i-" Amber was interrupted when Beth suddenly came crashing into view. "We are gonna find a place with a generator." She began, running over to her then clasping her hands solidly on Amber's shoulders. "And we're gonna celebrate the holy fucking shit outta Halloween. Because damn it, we're going to have a good holiday even if I have to sacrifice Ian's ass." As Beth rapidly spoke, she loomed over and leaned in closely as Amber felt herself being pushed down. Her mouth parted open as her slanted brown orbs stared up into Beth's wide, unblinking ones.

Ian had stepped through the entrance in time to hear the last part and froze. "Excuse me?" He demanded with a look of disbelief.

"Why not sacrifice Jordan's ass," Amber suggested. She side-eyed the front of the store, with the rest of the survivors coming in to spread apart and investigate.

"'Cause I still love that ass.~" Beth replied, licking her lips and looking at him.

"I mean," Jordan slapped his cheeks and propped a hip out. "I don't think mine's very sacrificable." He commented as Francis moved further inside. "You've got a nicer one babe." He wolfishly grinned, pointing at her.

"Look what I found!" Zoey exclaimed cheerfully, appearing in the doorway. She held a box over her head with Keirstan staring up at it nervously.

Beth's lips shaped into an O as she let go of Amber, who stumbled and fell to the floor. "Are you saying you'd sacrifice my ass?" She challenged over Zoey.

"I didn't say that!-"

"Ian's it is."

"So I'll be assless?"

Amber had gotten up and dusted herself off. "No one's sacrificing anyone or their asses!" She exclaimed spreading her arms out.

"You said so about mine," Jordan reminded. He tossed a packet of snickers bites at her.

Zoey hopped in waving the box all over enthusiastically, and Louis' gaze followed it around until she stopped and read the description. "What you find Zoe?" The analyst inquired curiously.

"An ouija board. Always wanted to try it."

Meanwhile Keirstan went from looking through merchandise to slinking behind some shelves of plushies and other board games; warily staring at the two. "Those things are dangerous, hope you know that." She deadpanned.

"I do know. I'll be careful. I'm curious." Zoey replied, giving her a quick look.

Louis was rubbing the back of his head now eyeing the game closely. "I've kinda wanted to try it myself at one point." He admitted. From the sidelines, Beth was frozen and watching them with an astonished expression. "I ain't never touching one again." She announced, suddenly walking away with hands held up half-way. "Uh-uh. Nope. Never again. Ever."

"Have a story with one of these too?" Louis asked, twisting his head at her.

"We do actually." Keirstan said. "A couple Halloweens ago Beth, Kayla and I took one of those to a haunted covered bridge. It didn't end well."

"What happened," Zoey chriped.

"Oh, the devil. To put it short."

Louis clenched his teeth together at the answer, glancing the board once more with Zoey examining it again.

"...I still wanna play." Kayla heard her voice from the other side of the shop. She had stepped away from the shelves she was looking through, with her arms full of more snacks and sets of lights.

"We're up against zombies kid. We don't need a haunting either." Bill said reluctantly.

"I said I'll be careful. Not like it's black magic."

"That ain't better."

Kayla pulled out of her thoughts, turned and dropped the packages in another cart, then rummaged through the items more for some time until she snickered softly. Finding what she was looking for. As she did, Francis rounded the corner to see her pulling it off the shelf grinning. His eyes shifted from the thing onto her. "What are you planning?"

She jumped and looked at him. He raised his eyebrows, "you're up to something aren't you."

"I heard Zoey found an ouija board and wants to use it. Now I've got a prank in mind." She pulled off her bag from her shoulders and unzipped it.

"You already know what's gonna happen?" Francis asked.

"No, I've got an idea."

She quietly cackled at how excellent the prank would be and dropped it inside. Francis shook his head while folding his arms. Whatever was going to happen, Zoey wasn't going to like it. "She's gonna fuckin' shoot you."

"I know." The bag was zipped closed.

"Didn't you have something scary happen at a bridge with one?"

"Yup."

He was about to comment until Louis appeared from the opposite corner. Kayla turned as Francis raised his head at him. "There isn't much here, so we're getting ready to go." He said pointing a thumb behind himself.

The biker nodded while a thin, malicious smile crept along her face as she walked by. Earning a suspicion from Louis. He narrowed his eyes and turned his head to watch her go. "Find something?"

"Uh? Nothin'."

"I don't believe you but ok." Louis bluntly replied and looking back at Francis, who returned his gaze. "Pfft, I ain't up to anythin'." He defended, hunching his shoulders.

He raised his nose side-eyeing him. "Uh-huh."

The two men followed her when Francis felt a laugh building up in his chest. He smiled widely, then brought the side of a fist up enabling to stifle it into a low chuckle. His sister truly enjoyed tricking people; and unless it was on him he found amusement watching how scared they'd get. Despite how simple they were. He assumed this one would be too. Even so, Francis was pretty eager to see how Zoey would react.

"Maybe we can find a house with decorations." Louis suggested.

"Why can't we-" Kayla was cut off when a beastial roar very suddenly tore through the air. Next, a figure covered in a black veil and trench coat came exploding through the aisle and turned to throw itself at the three, scaring them badly.

"_WHOOOO! OOOH! OOOH! OOOOOHHHHH!" _

With the other two reaching for their firearms, Francis acted quickly by racing forward, grabbed it by the collar of its jacket and hoisted it above his head. "Nooooo! Wwaaiitt!" Shouted a voice. Jordan's voice. It was too late. As the veil fell off exposing his panic written face, the large man chucked him across the store effortlessly. Racks toppled to the floor when knocked down whilst Amber, Ian, Bill, Zoey and Keirstan ran to see what was going on. They halted and watched as Jordan flew pass and over the front counter, taking the register with him. Setting off a ring before smashing against the tiled ground.

"Bastard!" Francis boomed. The five turned to see him with fists balled at his hips storming in view. Cold anger radiated off every part of his body with Kayla now in a mad laughing fit, Louis stared in disbelief from Francis' sheer strength and Beth rushed over to them as Francis lurked around the counter.

"I said it was a bad idea!" She exclaimed. "But no," she threw her hands over her head, "no one listens to Beth!"

She bent down to pull Francis away by his bicep should he toss him away again. However he grabbed Jordan's limp shoulders and pulled him off the floor a little. "Damn kid! You coulda been shot! What the fuck made you think that was a smart thing to pull?!" He yelled in his face.

Jordan was able to shake away the daze. He stared up earnestly, even a bit fearfully, into his leering eyes.

"Answer me."

"Francis…" Beth started, holding an arm between the two.

"...I...I'm sorry..." Jordan mumbled, finally looking away.

He stared in silence until he sneered. "Yeah. You are." Francis growled. He threw him down, rose to his feet and stalked pass Beth who followed him with her eyes.

"I told you," she hissed quietly through clenched teeth. Looking back at Jordan as he sat up. He stripped the coat off and met her gaze. "Happy holidays?" He replied sheepishly.

Shaking her head disapprovingly, she scuffed the back of his and he apologized a second time while both got off the floor.

"I mean," Amber began, breaking the quiet and massaging the back of her neck. "That's no better than the noise we make out there." She gestured outside with a hand.

Francis held the glass door open and cautiously peered around at the darkening surroundings, then shifted his sullen gaze back on everyone. "Well no one here's done that before." He reminded.

Kayla marched over to him pushing a cart in front of her as he spoke. It rattled across the tiled floor, so he stuck a foot out. Stopping the trolley from going any further. "Use a basket." Francis instructed, pointing at one discarded by a tobacco rack.

She obliged, strolling over to grab it then started dropping the candy bags and lights from both carts in it. Francis resumed scanning the streets.

Bill stared pass him warily. His cigarette smoldered and hung loosely between his lips. "Is it clear?" He asked.

A silence. "...Seems it." The biker replied, not looking at him. "Let's find a place already. No more stops."

With that, the survivors started traversing out the store as Zoey and Bill allowed everyone to go first. He held his cigarette between his fingers now, flicking ashes on the floor and blowing a puff of smoke out before glancing at Zoey. She held the board game to her chest; her brows knitted together and a mischievous grin spread across her face. Making him close his eyes and release a quiet sigh.

…

The family eventually found a house two stories tall. It sat alone at the end of a long driveway, far off from other homes of a neighborhood just by the town. The aging building's cream paint was chipping away, stained with old blood and gore stains in random places. One was splattered all over a bottom section of the house and streaked up the structure, covered a window and stopping at the top frame. There were also two maple trees either side of it, with the very large yard under a carpet of leaves.

The leaves continued to rustle in the wind, and gravel crunched under Francis' boots while he ascended a set of concrete steps. As he was about to push the ajar front door open using his barrel, he side-glanced towards the lawn in time to see Beth running and bending down to throw foliage all over. She attempted to throw some at Keirstan and her sister, who both did the same and he smiled at the sight.

While the door swung agape, Francis was immediately met with a screech and sees a filthy, infected man sprinting psychotically across the house. The gun was fired with a loud bang, blowing its frontal lobe apart and sending it flying backwards with a dark spray of blood gushing onto everything close by. The infected crashed and slid across an oakwood floor.

"Fuck!" Ian exclaimed, alarmed at the sudden shot.

The biker walked over then grabbed its ankles; casting a quick glance at the permanent, ugly sneer on its face as he dragged it outside.

"Sweep the place," Bill ordered, leading everyone in. As he said this, Francis was now discarding his kill by the edge of the yard. He wiped his hands on his pants; then turned around at the same time a giggling Beth ran and jumped at him to shove a handful of leaves down his coat. Her brother grinned again with a light laugh, "the hell kid!" And threw an arm up while facing her before grabbing some to throw back.

They played around for some time in a competitive match of overpowering the other with the dead plant material, and tackled each other to the ground. Both rolled around, giggling and chucked more of it in their faces until the two jumped to their feet. She finally hopped around and leapt onto his back, making him lace his arms under her legs. "Alright, let's get inside." He said, walking towards the house.

"What, the leaves too much for you?" Beth joked as she rested her chin on the top of his head.

"Sweetheart, we're losing light." He reminded. "Maybe tomorrow if it's nice…" his voice trailed off, face tensing in alertness when he saw both Keirstan and Kayla had broken from their match and were now charging. Throwing more foliage at him with bits of dead grass in the mix. He squeezed his eyes shut and kicked some at the two while it crunched under their steps; next they settled and walked either side of him.

"Are there decorations in there?" Keirstan called when she spotted Jordan in a window. They saw him turn in their direction, unlatched and opened it. "Huh?" He asked, so she repeated herself.

"Uh yes actually. There's a bunch for each holiday in a closet we checked while sweeping."

Excited to decorate, they ran for the door with Beth digging her heels in Francis' hips. "'Eh!" He exclaimed. "Hurry up, it's getting dark out." She said in a deepened tone. "It is, look at the sky." Francis traced his eyes up at the clouds.

She nestled against him. "I know, I know."

As they were about to go in, Louis and Bill came out. "Looking for a generator." The analyst said, pointing towards a shed sitting behind the house.

"That was quick." Keirstan commented.

"There were six of us. Clear and secured. Also, there's canned food so we'll be set until we leave." Bill stated. She shrugged with lips pursed, and nodded as they passed each other.

The four ventured through a small back corridor and entered a kitchen. Finding the candy basket sitting on a dining table next to the ouija board. Some of the boxes of lights were opened and laid about a counter. Since Zoey and Amber were stringing them up around the doorway leading into the living room. Beyond that were storage containers Francis assumed the decorations were in.

Ian flopped over an arm of a couch onto the cushions and heaved a noisy sigh while throwing an arm over his eyes. When Amber looked at him, she grabbed a box and chucked it in his direction. She snickered at his reaction; jolting and glancing at her with a spooked expression on his face. Reading theirs, he replies, "why not wait and see if…"

Lights kicked on throughout the house. Glowing orange and black-purple around the doorframe as the power hummed to life.

"The power…"

"Works. So untangle your ass and help us decorate." Zoey encouraged and pointed at the containers.

In an instant he hopped off the couch. "Alright I'll help. Got nothing else to do." Ian said, walking over to them as he talked. "But first," he stretched his arms out, and Amber chuckled when he wrapped them around her waist. She rested hers on his shoulders, and he uttered a small noise when they slightly bent over and kissed.

"Hey decor first, bedroom later!" Zoey exclaimed, whipping some tinsel from next to her at the two.

Francis was coming in with the others in tow during this, pulling his jacket off and now shaking leaves out from his shirt as some fell from the coat. He tossed it on a chair as Ian slid his hands down her hips while they straightened. He started rummaging through the decorations, pulling out some styrofoam gravestones, various indoor accessories and laid them across the furniture for Jordan and Keirstan to place around the walls.

"They got costumes or anything for outside?" Beth asked as she too started looking through the containers.

"In that one," Keirstan nudged an elbow at the second bin. "I saw costumes but didn't see anything for outside really."

"No, some of these jack o lanterns and tombstones are for the yard." Louis stated, holding an artificial pumpkin up. He turned its sharp toothed smiling face towards his, then grinned at everyone.

"I call whatever shadow or grim reaper costume there is if any!" Kayla announced, as Beth rubbed her chin. "Francis, you're eight feet tall help me get the tinsel up around the ceiling." Amber cut in. "I'm not eight feet tall!" He protested through a mouthful of baked beans. He dropped the spoon in the can he opened after coming indoors, and set it on a TV stand to hold the decor up while she taped it in place. Kayla was looking through some CDs, and Bill had leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded watching them.

Kayla then scurried towards the TV. She turned it and a DVD player on, switched channels and placed a CD in after checking for scratches. Soon, an ambience of eerie sounds broke the air.

"Here's your shadow." Louis said, tossing a black, ragged outfit her way. She gasped deeply, and held her arms out for it to blanket her.

"There has to be more than a cemetery and pumpkins." Beth suddenly declared with determination.

"What else is there for the lawn." Bill grunted, with Francis twisting around to look at her in dreadful suspicion.

She wiped her hands, and smiled maliciously.

…

A bloody, decapitated head of an infected was shoved forcefully onto a stake.

"Oh good God." Bill snorted, shaking his head. Ian had a disgusted look on his face at the sight, as all Francis did was watch. Eating his beans not fazed by the slightest.

"You asked. What's wrong with a realistic touch." Beth remarked, adjusting garden gloves she wore and the grotesque display. There was a deep crunching sound when she pushed it down more.

It took a little time for this after she had found the poles in the shed. And while they decorated the outside, some infected decided to investigate. Now they lined up half the yard among the gravestones and pumpkins, with their headless bodies carelessly thrown away.

"For one Bethany, that Spitter's burning through the stake." The old man stabbed a finger at what he was talking about.

She gazed at where the special was to see it was doing just that. Melting it in pieces and causing a steam to form. She tsked and waved it off, "there's enough."

"I think it's a beautiful touch. I love it." Jordan commented brightly, and wiped an invisible tear from his eye.

"Thank you, _someone _appreciates it!" Beth raised a hand at him as the heads dripped saliva and blood.

"I thought this would be something your sister would do. Or say." Ian stated, punching Jordan in the shoulder as Francis motioned for her to come inside.

"Both. But it's my turn to be a little dark." She replied and jogged over to the men.

Before anyone could say anything, there was a sudden wailing that filled them with alarm in an instant and all raced for the door. From inside, Keirstan watched as it was burst open and they barreled in with panic sprawled all over their faces.

"What's happening?!" Francis bellowed, holding Beth in a headlock and finishing his beans. He stormed forwards while chewing furiously as she frantically slapped his arm.

"Kayla's just being loud and obnoxious." A butler dressed Louis replied, pointing a thumb behind himself. He turned his head as she appeared from a gaming room, dressed in the shadow cloak with her arms raised high and still howling idiotically.

"I am a-" she tripped by stepping on the cloak and fell on her face. She immediately got up and kept going, only to trip and fall again, causing Bill, Ian and Jordan to laugh in amusement.

"Kid fix yourself you're gonna break your nose!" Francis exclaimed loudly when this went on. "And stop wailing you nearly gave me a heart attack."

She gazed up. "How dare you shout at me!" She hollered through the hooded mask.

He releases Beth, drops the can and started chasing her across the now fully decorated home, after she scrambled to her feet and raced away while Beth stood alone. Until she looked at the sofa. "Hey I claim that costume!" She announced, seeing and pointing at an outfit lying on the cushions.

"What is it?" Amber asked, "I just put it there for anyone to take."

"Looks like a dark angel." Beth picked the costume up for examination. "It is a dark angel! Fuck yeah!" She began to strip to put it on, making Amber and the others-excluding Jordan who smirked suggestively-look away.

Francis raced by Zoey and Keirstan who were dancing happily as Kayla bounded up the stairs and out of sight. He ran through a Spiderweb draped across a divider by accident, had to pull it from his face, and grabbed the stair rail that was wrapped in ghost-Bat tinsel and orange lights to haul himself up faster.

"Why are you chasing me?" He heard Kayla question. Looking up, he saw her staring down over a balcony as a black figure.

"Are you gonna fix this cobweb?!" Francis heard someone demand. He looked back where he came, finding Louis seething and marching towards him holding the decoration in his hand.

"Yeah, yeah I'll fix it." He snorted. Louis briskly pulled off a glove and slapped him hard across his face with it. The biker gave him a dazed look, while the analyst scrunched his nose with a pursed frown. He shoved the web against his broad chest. "Do it! Do it now! I know you, you'll make me fix it!"

As Kayla wheeze-laughed, Francis sighed taking the decoration. He started heading over where is was hung up, as Louis walked off with his eyes dramatically closed. Unknowing to him, Kayla rushed around the balcony, down the stairs and lept on his back. He jerked and his breath hitched from the impact. "Son of a bitch." Francis grumbled, picking up pins from the floor to start the task.

"Hey Sasquatch you know what we should do for next Halloween?" Kayla said, sliding down his back and holding onto his shoulders.

"What."

"We should urbex at a big ole' creepy abandoned house. Or ghost hunt at some graveyards. Or both. Definitely both."

He chuckled through his nose with a smile. "Unless we find ghosts at the house."

"If we're still alive." Keirstan reminded.

Both looked at her, with Kayla peering out from behind him much like a little kid would. She bitterly squinted her eyes.

"We'll be fine." The large man assured. She let go as he finished.

"Brother, I've got some bad news." Beth suddenly announced, coming to him dressed as the dark angel. Disappointment washed over her face. She was met with his puzzled expression. "Oh no," he answered sarcastically. "What now."

"There were no bigfoot costumes for you."

"As if I'd fit in one." He held an arm out with another smirk.

"Listen," she calmly snapped her fingers. "I'm just saying alright? Since I'm dressed up, so's Jordan, Amber, Kayla, Louis, Keirstan and Zoey." She gestured at the others. Keirstan was a vampire, Zoey a wendigo, Amber a ninja and Jordan had kept what he found in the store.

"The hell are you supposed to be anyway." Bill voiced as he sat down by a heater.

Jordan shrugged, "I dunno. The creepy fisherman guy I guess."

"Uh."

Francis stared on unsure how to react.

"Wear this!" Beth exclaimed after searching through a bin. She held up a grey beanie with a skull pattern and a Spider scarf to him.

"But I don't-"

"Do it."

"Hold on a minute!"

"No!"

She promptly set it on for him. He half-lid his eyes as she wrapped the scarf around his neck.

The scent of coffee suddenly filled the air. "Ya'll, it's caramel for now. But I've found regular, maple pecan and other flavors too." Ian called in bliss.

Bill had perked and was now sitting straight up in his seat in complete alertness. With the other coffeeholics loudly stampeding for the kitchen, causing a muffled cry of "holy shit!" from Ian, the veteran bellowed a monstrous, angry roar. He threw himself wildly from the recliner and towards the kitchen, startling Francis and Amber into looking from him to at each other in bewilderment.

Bill grabbed Louis and threw him out of his way. The analyst wailed as he crashed on top of the kitchen table, snapping its legs and surface in half and sending him to the ground with a loud boom. The others stopped and turned in shock to see this.

He chuckled deeply, menacingly, as the alarmed kids scurried to a safe distance while he lurked towards Ian; who watched him in horror.

"Happy Halloween my children." Bill said creepily.

Ian raced away sobbing while he reached for a mug, and confiscated the coffee maker. As he made himself a cup, the others watched helplessly from a corner until Amber and Francis peered in. Upon seeing Louis lying motionless on the floor, Amber covered her mouth with a sleeve trying to keep from bursting into laughter.

"Jesus old man, don't drink it all on 'em." Francis scowled right as Bill whirled on him. Looking like a wild, raging animal. His eyes wide and insane, his nostrils flared and veins showed in his neck and face. Immediately silencing the biker in slight fear.

"RESPECT YOUR ELDERS!" He screamed. "I HAVEN'T HAD COFFEE IN SO LONG, AND I'M GONNA _ENJOY_ IT _PEACEFULLY!_"

"Neither have we." Ian whimpered.

Bill side-glanced him dangerously. Everyone ran back into the living room, while he sipped the savory liquid and Amber encouraging them by waving her arm. "Back in here where it's safe." She said.

Francis dragged Louis by his feet away, hitting his head off the counter and doorframe. "I outta find some beer n' I'll be good for the night." He commented.

"Hey guys, wanna try the ouija tonight?" Zoey beamed as if the explosion of events didn't happen. Her voice made some of them jump.

"What? Tonight?" Amber echoed.

"Why not, gives us more excitement and creeps. If it works that is."

Jordan looked at the board lying on the floor among the candy. "Uh," he shrugged. "I vote we just wait for tomorrow night. Louis' unconscious, and Bill's already possessed by something."

They all looked back at the old man, who was greedily pouring himself another cup, spilling coffee on the counter and muttering something incoherently under his breath.

Kayla suddenly pulled out Keristan's cricket bat staring at him. "Alright." She held it up and took a step.

"NO!" The others yelled. Francis and Beth pushed her back as she looked around at her comrades. "He's gonna take it all and I ain't patient enough to make another pot. I was just gonna knock 'im out."

Keirstan snatched her weapon back. "I'm sure it'd be the reverse. Look what he's done to ya'll already. Especially to poor Louis."

"What was that?!" Bill stormed over and leaned into the living room, sipping annoyingly. His eyes were still wide, but narrowed and challenging.

"Nothin'. Keep yer beard on 'n hurry up." Francis replied. Bill squinted. And, still sipping, lurked behind the divider.

Zoey sighed a little disappointed. She crouched down by the heater to warm her hands and rubbed her arms. "Ok I can wait. Sorry I'm just really curious."

"We're telling you, it's not safe. Either it works or not." Beth warned as she peeked outside. Next she checked if the window was locked. When confirmed, she closed the blinds and pulled the torn curtains shut.

"Whatever happens, happens." Ian said. "For now, Bill's the most dangerous being in this house."

"Damn right I am," he voiced darkly. "And if any spirit tries to ruin this supply of coffee, Imma destroy the bastard and all of you with it."

Beth frowned and scrunched her eyes. "Why destroy us?!"

"Yeah." Francis grabbed her outfit and pulled her to him to hold her against his chest. "It's my job to destroy two of them."

"Wait what?"

"Just destroy Jordan. Problem solved." Kayla calmly suggested. In the back of the room, he flicked her off with an unfriendly glance.

"Because," Bill answered. "I'll have it all to myself. Never disrupt an old man and his coffee. YAHAHA."

"Well I'm excited either way." Zoey stated courageously. She jumped up, clapped her hands and pumped a fist in the air as Louis began to stir. "Let's do this Louis!"

"I'm a little concerned of someone being this hyped for an ouija." Amber said quietly to Keirstan, who shook her head. Meanwhile the analyst was uttering a noise that sounded like he was asking what they were doing.

"Ah, she'll learn." Keirstan replied. "If anything, she'll learn."

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**A/N: **

**Bethany: *Hollering out window.* Noone listens to Beth! **

**Louis: *Peers out from where he's hiding from Bill-a storage closet, since he has coffee.* About what?**

**Beth: Anything and everything. This ouija idea, Jordan being an idiot in the store, and so on.**

**Bill: *Rampages in view, spots Louis and roars. Louis screams in fear.* RETURN IT AT ONCE! *Runs at him.***

**Louis: NO! It's mine! *Takes off, spilling some of his drink.* We have plenty! LEAVE ME ALONE! **

**Jordan: Darling, I **_**always**_** listen to you!**

**Beth: Sure, so Francis almost gave you a concussion for nothing. **

**Francis: *In next room.* You wanna concussion?**

**Jordan:...I 70% of the time listen to you.**

**Beth: BULL FUCKING HORSESHIT ON A TON OF SHIT SANDWICHES…*continues ranting while stomping away, as Jordan moonwalks after her.***

**Ian: *Army crawling for the kitchen while Bill's distracted.***

**Keirstan and Zoey: *Just chilling on the couch, listening to the chaos and yelling all around.***

**I think these holiday chapters are each gonna be 2-3 parts long. It depends on what's happening. **

**Have a great spooky night!**

**-Viperberry. **


	2. Ouija

**A/N: I'm so damn sorry this is late! I need to catch up with my writing…**

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**October 31, 2019.**

**Halloween.**

"Francis!"

"Fwanshish!"

"FRAN-CI-HIS!"

"_FRANCIS!"_

"WHA-HUT?!" He yelled at the voices screaming for him around the home. At first he tried to ignore them all, and continue to watch a movie Zoey had started while lazily thrown back on the sofa. But he could hardly hear the audio now, and turning up the volume didn't help. With the calls growing louder and Jeepers Creepers flashing across the TV screen, Zoey watched from next to him, eating a can of sweetpeas as Francis jumped up and twisted around with annoyance etched on his face.

He moved around the couch and headed for the next room. "The hell do you all wa-" Francis stopped, startled to see someone falling down the carpeted stairs; and landing in a heap at the bottom with liquid splashing out of a mug they held.

"Again?" The large man grunted. Zoey winced at the sight, as he stepped over and crouched down to help them up.

"Never mind, I got it Francisco!" Louis yelled in the distance.

"Are you alright? Yer gonna kill yourself in this thing." He said, ignoring his friend and pulling the black mask of the costume off. The costumes they wore all night and day. Even on a quick run to town. It was quite amusing to see the survivors killing infected in their outfits to him. Almost like a TV show about heroes fighting villains.

Stunned, Kayla just stared at him with an ajar mouth and half-lidded eyes. Until she raised the cup, jiggled it and upon hearing a small swishing, weakly smiled before sipping what she had left of hot chocolate. The majority of her beverage was staining the walls and stairs, making Francis laugh softly.

"What do you mean again." Zoey wanted to know.

"She fell down a flight of wooden stairs one time and didn't let go of 'er coffee. C'mon on your feet." He pulled her up as she went limp in his arms.

Next Amber appeared from the shadows. Jumping across the living area and punched her arms repeatedly in the air. She spun around kicking a leg out, connecting with a lamp and sends it flying across the room. The lightbulb sparked when it broke against a window. Causing the place to dim.

Zoey had thrown her arms up to shield herself from flying shards. "Amber the hell you gotta do that for!" She exclaimed. Giving her an exasperated look.

"I'm practicing hand to hand combat." She replied and continued to strike. "Anything can happen tonight," she paused and pulled the shemagh down from her mouth. "Our luck there's probably something coming for us right now. You know how it is, everything's fine one minute and the next we're fighting the entire fucking state."

"...I mean, you ain't wrong." Francis agreed with a scrunched eye and a shoulder shrug. Zoey shrieked as he said this, while Beth and others were still shouting his name. She flailed her arms, peas flying about and looked around as Amber resumed her training.

"Uh?!" The biker whine-shouted, dropping Kayla.

Beth came through, walking by lit jack o lanterns sitting on night stands either side of the entrance, with an angry expression and holding a beanie in one hand, and a scarf in the other. "What is this, why were they on the counter!" She boomed.

Zoey held the board game up. "Louis it's time!"

Francis look from her to Beth, "I was getting hot." She squinted, and laid the beanie on his face. Sighing he took it to put it back on, and raised an eyebrow as she smiled.

"Time for what." Louis asked as he too walked inside. Holding a bowl of candy.

"Ouija. Still wanna play?"

He shifted his eyes on the game, sucking on a jolly rancher. "Oh. Sure I'll still try it." He went over and got himself comfortable by the opposite side of a coffee table, and placed the bowl down as Zoey unboxed it.

She sets it down between the two.

Both players observed it carefully. Letters, numbers, greetings and words marked its flat vintage-like surface, with a sun and moon on either top corner. As the moon glared aside, the sun stared up with a cold smile.

They shifted their eyes on each other until Zoey pulled out a planchette. Setting it down as well. She and Louis placed their fingers on it.

"Alright. Are there any spirits who would like to talk with us?"

"Pretty cliche way to start." Louis snorted.

"That is how you start."

The others randomly assembled around the table from different parts of the house. Jordan snuck up from behind Beth and swept her off her feet. He carried her over and sat down on the sofa, with Keirstan folding her arms and watching the two disapprovingly. "Don't say we didn't warn you if anything comes through." She snarked.

"I hate ouija boards." Francis groused.

They waited for an answer, however the planchette didn't move. "Is there anyone here. If so, we don't welcome any negative or dark spirits. And we mean no harm or disrespect." Louis spoke up.

Nothing.

"Is this house haunted." Zoey paused for some seconds. "If it is what sign would you give us?"

"On the ceiling it writes, 'I am a ghost.'" Ian joked.

He earned some short laughs as Amber slapped his arm. "No it comes out with a sheet over its head." Jordan commented. "Or twerks its way out."

"That'd be you no doubt." Beth corrected, and Bill smiled, shaking his head as they all laughed more.

"We've caught paranormal activity guys!" Ian exclaimed, holding up an invisible camera. "And it'd be you twerking in view with that bedsheet on."

"Wanna find a camera?" Jordan kept it up.

"I said we mean no disrespect! Ya'll go deaf on that?" Louis scowled, glaring around the group.

"Yeah seriously. Don't…" Keirstan mumbled.

Everyone snickered until they grew silent. Zoey thinned her lips trying to keep from laughing again, and exhaled quietly.

The planchette sat still.

"We're sorry about that." Louis apologized.

"They probably don't wanna talk now." Francis guessed, his arms resting on the back of the couch. "Doubt anything's here anyway. Yer gettin' nothing."

"It takes a little bit." Zoey replied.

"You do know what not to ask it right?" Keirstan leaned closer to Zoey with tense untrust in her eyes. She returned the gaze with a bored expression. "I know Keirstan. Relax."

"Maybe Francis' right and they don't want to talk." Louis looked at the two with disappointment. The biker shrugged. Resting his chin on his arms now. "If I were dead I wouldn't wanna speak to ya either."

Unsurprised, Louis answered, "no kidding. You'd just pull all kinds of shit on me and the only thing I'd hear from you is laughter."

"Damn right you would."

"Why not put it away for now and try again later." Amber suggested. Her eyes trailed over the spirit board. Studying the patterns.

Taking in her words, Zoey frowned and leaned back a little. Her fingers rested on the planchette, still waiting for the slightest bit of movement. She opened her mouth to speak as Louis reacted to something. He slanted his eyes and took a closer look at the board, then back on her.

"I guess we co-"

"Quit moving it!"

Zoey locked eyes with him in surprise. So did the others. Her lips shaped as he continued. "I can feel you pulling it away Zoe."

"I'm not moving it."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"Ah yes," Kayla mused. Crossing her arms and watching the two. "So begins the cliche mindfuck of who's moving the planchette."

During this excitement grew. Although Francis remained in his position where he was. However, his face slightly lightened in wonder as the pair argued. He leaned over for a better look, and all could see it was really sliding around. Slowly, barely noticeable, but moving.

"I ain't pushing it either." Louis defended.

"Oh sure, dick around and yell at me pretending you're not doing it."

"I'm hardly touching it!"

"So am I." Zoey shrugged and laid her eyes back on him.

He went to raise his hands to show he wasn't the culprit, just to be interrupted by two of the girls. "No don't do that!" Beth and Keirstan yell in alarmed unison with both shooting forward, trampling across Ian and slamming his hands down. He was shoved into the table as Zoey leaned away. "You have to say goodbye if you're done." Beth instructed with grave seriousness in her voice.

"Fine." Louis wheezed as Ian sat up from being run over. Amber had moved aside in time and was now chuckling softly, while he stared in a daze.

Jordan tucked his legs up before he pointed at the board. "Ya'll I think it's gonna spell something." He guessed, watching as it inched towards a letter.

"Biker dude! Quit being useless and find some paper." Zoey instructed.

Francis scrunched his eyes while giving her a cold look. He rose, grumbling something about uselessness and headed for the game room.

**'H.'**

"Hurry up it's spelling!" Ian called, turning his head and keeping his sight on the board. "It's on H."

It had stopped for several seconds, until it began to move again. Kayla rested her cheek in her hand watching it, as Beth and Keirstan exchanged uncertain glances.

"Francis!" Louis hollered.

"Will you calm the fuck down." Francis growled. Lurking back in the living room with a pad of paper and pen. He held it up in a sarcastic manner to show it was written while plopping himself on the couch next to Jordan. Crossing a foot over his lap, he waited for what was next.

**'I.'**

"Hi." Amber confirmed.

The players kindly returned the greeting. "It's nice to see you're willing to talk with us now." Zoey said in a gentle tone. "I'm Zoey. Do you have a name?"

"Uh, I don't think it's wise to introduce yourself to it." Jordan cautiously said in a low voice. He shifted in his seat and glanced at the college student uneasily.

"I wouldn't…" Bill solemnly agreed. He went over to settle down on the recliner and watched in wariness.

Louis stared at her as she shushed them before Keirstan and Beth could say a word. "It's fine." Zoey replied with confidence.

At this, Beth held her hands up half-way to her chest and shook them in frustration. "This is not fine you don't know what you're talking to!"

"Let's just stay calm so we don't excite it." Ian suggested.

Beth irritatingly sighed as Keirstan shook her head, shifting her orbs from the board to the players until both returned to their spots. And the game continued.

There was a short silence as Louis bit his lip nervously. "So uh...do you have a name spirit?"

They soon felt the planchette shifting once more. Francis, who waited in quiet impatience, resumed writing what it was spelling, looking back and forth between the pad and game so he got it right. As he did Kayla moved to squeeze between him and Jordan to watch what the messages spelled out, Beth doing the same from over his head. Resting her chin on top of it with large eyes.

**'...I...do...n't…'**

"Remember." Francis read outloud.

Louis shrugged lightly. "That's alright." He replied, Amber staring in suspicion. "Are you male or female?"

They waited. It didn't move. After several minutes, and with both Louis and Zoey asking again, it still didn't move.

Amber shifted closer to Ian and rested her arms on the table. "Doesn't want to say I guess."

"Could've left." Keirstan said hopefully.

**'Still….here…'**

"Or not." Jordan stated, his eyebrows raised with his cheek resting against his knuckles.

It continued to shift around, slightly faster than before. As if waiting eagerly for the next question.

"How did you die?" Louis voiced, eyes up at the ceiling. "And how old are you?"

Francis leaned forward and wrote quickly. "Um…" he tapped the pen against his chin afterwards, reading the message.

**'I can't remember anything. sorry.'**

"No need to apologize." Zoey said after he passed it along. "It's perfectly fine. You're welcome to say whatever you want or need to say."

In response, it slid across the board. Everybody watched as it hovered above each letter, and slowly inch to a stop once it was finished.

**'...You're...nice Zo...ey. I like...you…'**

She smiled softly. "That's kind to know. Thank you." Zoey looked up at everyone, finding all nine of her teammates staring back with doubt etched in their faces. "I'm just being polite."

"To something that won't tell you what it is." Bill grunted, resting back in the recliner and crossing his legs.

With the thought in mind, Louis spoke before Zoey could reply. "Are...you human…?" He asked with hesitance.

Once more it didn't reply.

"Where are you?"

**'…'**

**'...'**

**'...On the stairs.'**

Francis stared at those three words, as Bill shifted forward again. Both looked towards the flight with some of the others, just to see nothing there. The biker gazed at the old man, who continued to observe the steps.

It ignored Louis when he asked a second time if it was human. "Guys I think this is a good time to stop." Amber advised. "If it's not answering what we should know, than it's probably not a good sign."

"I um, agree." Ian nodded. Earlier he was so curious of what would happen, but the more he saw it was keeping its identity as low as possible, he realized something was off.

**'I like you Zoey.'**

'Put it _away!_' She saw Keirstan mouth tensely through gritted teeth. Beth was watching with concern in her eyes, and Kayla and Jordan were growing uncomfortable. Their body language read the emotion, and the girls kept close to their brother as he held a grave expression at what he was seeing.

Zoey bit her lip. Her fingers curled in a little bit on the planchette. "Alright," she gave in. "It was nice talking with you, but now it's t-"

**'Don't go zoey. I don't want you to.'**

Francis was no longer writing down its responses. The group was carefully watching what letters it stopped over at a much more brisk speed. It was so quick most hardly caught what it was saying.** 'Don't leave Zoey I don't want you to go, please don't leave, don't leave I'll be lonely ZOEY DON'T GO I like Zoey I want to be like Zoey, I don't want you to go.'**

**'Don't leave.'**

**'Don't leave!'**

_**'YOU CAN'T LEAVE.'**_

The aggressiveness in these messages, the speed and intensity, sparked an onslaught of frightened excitement among them. Exclaiming over each other as Beth and Keirstan hollered at the players to end it. Louis anxiously gazed at his partner, and Zoey wasn't doing anything but staring at the frantic planchette in complete astonishment. She was visibly shivering now, he could see it clearly.

**'...You're...scared...'**

"Say goodbye already!" Bill yelled, jumping out of his seat and throwing a hand up over Ian, Amber and Jordan's heads.

"Holy shit…" Jordan muttered, his face washed with bewilderment.

"Goodbye! Goodbye!" Louis shouted repeatedly, soon Zoey was joining him. With both yelling the greeting, to their increasing shock the planchette refused to slide over. So they force it down to the word.

The players let go, looking at it until they gazed at everyone else. Who were equally amazed and startled as they were. Noone said or did anything for a long time.

Finally, Zoey shook out of it and got up. Collecting the board, planchette and shoved it into the box. "How do you get rid of this thing." She questioned, each word trembling out of her mouth. Her hands shivered from holding it.

"Normally people burn them. Or just throw it out." Beth informed. "But seeing it didn't want to say bye, we should burn it."

"Father Doug would be perfect for this job." Kayla stated in a bored tone, stretching her arms and body and cracking her back against the couch. Amber shot her a strange look as she said this, while Francis, Beth and Jordan broke into laughter. Bill scrunched his eyes with his arms folded, and sighed during their reactions.

"Yeah he would be." Francis chortled, "shit he'd be perfect for dealing with the vampires out there too." He added, stabbing a thumb towards a window.

"Who's father Doug?" Ian questioned loudly.

He was ignored as Zoey gave a stern nod. With Louis in tow, she ventured for the backroom of the kitchen. Both threw on their jackets over their costumes, grabbed their melee weapons, flashlights and headed outside.

"I think they enjoyed that." Jordan chirped, the backdoor slamming shut while he spoke and Keirstan walking towards the kitchen sink. She looked out to see the two drop the board in a trash can by the shed. Then Louis pulled out a set of matches from his pocket. Soon the inside of the bin flashed orange, and they stood by to watch it combust.

"Maybe she'll make a better choice next time she sees one." Keirstan snarked, looking over her shoulder at her friends. "If you ask me, I think it was a little unnerving how badly she wanted to use it." She continued, turning her hips to lean against the counter.

"She probably won't touch one after that. Weren't the most horrifying thing but it was scary enough." Beth replied. She then turned around and grew suspicious of her sister upon seeing her slink away. Tiptoeing clumsily but silently out of view.

Francis watched them go and followed. He peered into the next room and found the older sibling rummaging through her bag while explaining to Beth what she was planning.

"Did you know she's doing this?" She asked, throwing her arm out at Kayla who held her stashed weapon over her head in excitement.

He lazily blinked and nodded. "I was gonna stop her, but I wanted to see how this plays out." He confessed with Kayla brushing by him and running through the house. Still holding it over her head.

"What are you doing now." Amber sighed seeing her friend charging towards her. She didn't answer and sped by. Leaving Amber unfazed.

"I was about to say go back in the living room that'll freak 'er out for sure." Francis snickered soon after. Beth walked beside him and looked across the kitchen in time to catch a glimpse of Zoey and Louis heading back inside.

"Here they come!"

As Beth yelled, Kayla was carefully setting the prank where everyone was gathered. A sly expression washed over her face as she did so. Upon hearing the warning, she scrambled to finish then scurried out of sight as the door creaked open.

"Ain't doing that again." Zoey confirmed as she stripped off her coat.

"Same." Louis nodded. "And yes, we've learned our lesson." He declared to Keirstan who raised an eyebrow. Giving him a look reading, _'told you.'_

He sighed through his nose as both reentered the kitchen, with the others quietly doing their own thing now; trying to shake off the eeriness lingering in the place.

Zoey made way for the living room once more to clean up the peas she threw around. She didn't notice Amber watching her pass with a tense look in her eyes. She had taken a look to see what Kayla was doing, and was worried what the idiot's fate was going to be afterwards.

The college student bent down to pick up the first few peas she saw. She cleared her throat and looked around the area for more of the vegetable. She trailed her sight onto the recliner, the sofa. And then, the coffee table.

She stopped moving. Eyes widening Zoey dropped the peas and her skin paled. Her mouth gaped open in horror.

A sharp scream ripped through the home. Grabbing the survivors' attention throughout the house. Alarming them all. They barreled from where they were excluding Francis, Beth and Amber. Who stood by to watch what would happen as they tore into the living area.

"The hell's going on?!" Ian screamed in bewilderment, looking around in panic as Zoey, still screaming, flipped the coffee table. She sent what was on it flying with a loud crash while pointing in a wild state until Bill caught her in his arms. "Hey! What's wrong what happened?" The veteran exclaimed. He gazed at where the object landed as Jordan and Keirstan hurried over to take a look.

"What the fuck!" Jordan cried, Keirstan jolted with a gasp when he flipped it over. From behind the two Louis and Ian wandered over demanding to know what it was.

They fell silent, and felt their bodies heat up when they laid eyes on an ouija board.

"We burned the fucking thing!" Zoey yelled in disbelief. They turned to her as she pointed outside. "The fire's still going how the hell is it here?!" She was sweating and shaking now, with Bill looking on in shock.

He snapped out of it when Jordan moved closer and bent down. "No, no, no! Don't touch it!" He barked, waving his hands at them to back off while Zoey went to kick it away, but Keirstan pulled Jordan off when he went to pick it up. Louis was running a hand over his head nervously from beside them. He was scared, but was unsure of what to say or do.

"Anyone find some holy water so we can tell this thing to fuck off." Jordan called, gazing about the room.

A noise emitted from Ian's lips, returning his gaze on his partners from staring at the thing. He opened his mouth to try to say something with everyone continuing to react; until all finally heard a hysterical laughing. Muffled by their onslaught of confusion and fear. The group quiet down and turn to where it was, recognizing it was Kayla. Beth, Amber and Francis were also roaring in a fit but they remained focused on the culprit hiding in the game room.

"Where the hell did ya get a second board you sadistic bastard!" Jordan howled. He stormed towards the entrance while Zoey's face fell from terror to bitter fury realizing it was a mischievous act.

"This was you?! Way to start a fucking freakout! That was uncalled for!"

"But it was damn funny to watch."

"Bill's heart could've stopped he's so old!"

"Excuse me? Yours will stop long before mine will if you ain't careful."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You three knew about this, didn't you?!" Louis called the trio out. He pointed at them dramatically. They kept cackling like mad as Jordan was about to reach the doorway. The moment he did, he was thrown out of the way by Zoey, who ran up on him at the same time Kayla scrambled out of the room. He crashed against the recliner with a mighty yell and flipped it over as the girls ran off. "Do it again you little shit, I dare you do it again!" Zoey bellowed in rage.

She laughed, pumping her arms and legs until they entered the kitchen and ran for Francis. He looked down in surprise as the two rushed and fought around him. Arguing over each other as Kayla used him as a barrier and he tried to break it up by putting his arms between them.

"Alright, no one's gettin' hurt over this it was a joke." He reminded, pushing Zoey away.

"No one yet-maybe Jordan-"

"I'm ok!" He announced.

"But she deserves an ass kicking!"

"An ass kickin' over a small prank. Sorry darlin' but that ain't happening." Francis replied sternly. Blocking his sister from getting attacked.

"Ok let's get rid of it before she has an aneurysm." Ian voiced as she glared at Kayla. The older survivor gave her a thin, wicked smile before Zoey backed off. Mumbling to herself while she went inside to pick up the mess.

"That was a good one." Francis smirked as he turned around and fist bumped her. Beth was shrugging and spreading her hands out either side. "I wish we could've got that on film." She chortled, "then we'd have something to watch and tease her with."

Amber nodded with a grin. "And next time we see one, we'd pull up the video and be like 'you wanna try again? Remember this well woman!'" She pretended to hold up a device. Chuckling hard in her chest.

"Alright I get it!" Zoey yelled in irritation over the next burst of booming laughter. Keirstan, Louis and Ian shrunk back from behind her as Jordan struggled out of the recliner. She stormed away from the group, flipping the table on its legs and grabbing what she could from the floor; then marched down the closest hall. "Thought ouijas were a serious thing and nothing to laugh about." She groused as she went, while Bill breathed a short laugh through his nose.

As they cleaned up and Zoey left the room, nobody noticed a small Z being slowly carved in the wall.

…

Francis was washing his machete from old dried blood in a bathroom. Sounds wafted from the TV since everyone had quiet down for the rest of the night. He figured whatever they were talking to had come and gone since they had gotten rid of the boards. Because nothing else happened after the excitement the game and prank had caused.

He rinsed off the soap from the blade. Diluted blood and suds flowed down the drain until he turned it off. Next he grabbed a hand towel and dried the weapon before tossing the cloth away.

He found Bill and Louis settled in the cushioned seats watching another movie one of them put on. The biker watched a scene and heard voices outside. Turning his head, he saw the kids out back with a light on, chatting away and relaxing in each others' company. Francis smiled a little before deciding to sit down with the men.

"Ya'll know what I'm gonna do when the infection ends?" Kayla declared, holding onto a Bird feeding post and spinning around it.

"You're not starting a pirate fleet." Amber shot down, folding her arms narrowing her brow.

"You can't stop me," she retorted, snapping her fingers. "I've got goals bigger than you realize."

Amber sighed. "Well, good luck with that."

"How do you know any pirate will listen to you huh? They're worse today than back then." Ian challenged.

"I fuckin' hate today's pirates. Most likely all dead now anyway."

"Then…?"

"Anyway!" Jordan clapped his hands, as Keirstan and Beth looked over the yard for anything possibly coming their way. "While she fantasizes of getting slaughtered by pirates…"

Something caught Beth's eye as Jordan kept speaking. Something partially hidden behind the shed. It was shifting in and out of view, almost as if it couldn't stay balanced where it stood.

"...Hey." Beth voiced quietly, nudging Keirstan's arm. Keeping her gaze on it. Keirstan flicked her eyes on her, then to what she was looking at when she pointed it out.

"Huh?" Ian chirped, all taking a look for themselves.

"Infected behind the shed." Keirstan replied, with Beth aiming her rifle in the direction.

"Special or common?" Jordan specified raising his gun as well.

"Can't tell."

The figure shifted once again. Then it stumbled into full sight.

Upon seeing it clearer Beth lifted her head and opened an eye from straightening her aim. "Neither. It's Zoey." She identified, able to see the familiar red jacket under her winter coat. Illuminated from the back lights that filtered across the lawn.

Zoey clumsily fixed her pony tail before she continued to shuffle across the yard. Her posture was hunched, arms swinging limply. Her head tilted back as she carelessly kicked up leaves from her uneven steps. Ignoring the group when they called out to her.

"What the hell's she doing?" Kayla groused. "Don't know. Maybe she was gonna try and scare us and screwed up." Amber guessed, rubbing her chin.

Ian chuckled, "she's acting a little too tipsy to be trying to scare us. Hey Zoey! Where'd you find the booze! Is that what you disappeared for? Share!" He waved a hand with a grin.

She continued to ignore them.

"Why would she be out here drinking? That's real smart and safe." Beth scoffed.

"Get yer ass back here! I ain't sorry for scaring you!" Kayla overlapped in a demanding tone.

No response.

"ZO-EY! ANSWER! US!"

The older survivor shrugged, spreading her hands out from cupping them over her mouth in frustrated confusion. As her companions exchanged glances and murmured to each other in wonder.

"You alright Zoe, where are you going!" Amber exclaimed, as Ian raised both hands above his head, pretending to shoot flares where he sat next to Jordan until he dropped one of them.

"Let's get her she probably doesn't hear us if she is drunk." Jordan suggested. Placing his gun aside and readied to get up from the stairs.

"Who the shit are you hollering your asses off at? I'm in the basement! And I'm not drunk!"

At the sound of Zoey's voice coming from behind them, everyone slowed. Then completely froze from what they were doing. Their faces fading, and blood running cold.

Together the survivors spun around at an egress window that was cracked open. "Ya'll must be the drunk or high ones, cause I'm not outside."

The kids took in what she said while staring at the window for some long seconds. Next, dauntingly, they turned back to the figure in the yard. All watching in silent disbelieving fear. Ian dropped his other hand, allowing it to fall in his lap with a thud.

'Zoey' was now dead still. Staring at them in return.

Keirstan's lip trembled as she tried to talk, only to choke on her words. "...Wh...what the...fu…"

The thing slowly raised its own arm. Held it in the air for a moment, and it jerked around. As if to pop the limb in a mock wave.

"Guys?" Zoey called. "...Hello?"

It allowed its arm to fall to the side again. Twitching where it stood.

"_...He...hheellll...lllllllooooooooooooo...!?"_

A voice, grated and distorted, ripped from its throat. Twisting into the most unholy loud scream any of the survivors heard and causing them to wildly scramble for the threshold. They burst inside, some of them crying out as they shoved into each other before tripping or staggering in the kitchen. Francis came running from the other entrance with Bill and Louis close behind. Anxiety and puzzlement on their faces, which grew deeper from hearing the excitement to seeing the distress overwhelming the kids.

"What happened? What's going on?!" Louis shouted with Amber slamming and deadbolting the door shut.

Francis gently grasped Beth's arms from seeing how pale and disturbed she was. "Talk to me, what's wrong?" He asked in a calm voice to keep from invoking the situation.

After Zoey ran up the basement stairs, her expression wild with distraught looking around the kitchen, Beth pointed a shaking finger at her. Then outside. He could tell she was trying to say something, as nervous sounds quivered from her lips when she tried to respond.

"There's something out there and it looks like Zoey." Keirstan answered. Jordan set down his gun on the counter and retrieved his left over ammo from his jacket's pockets.

"Jordan I don't think that's gonna work." Ian criticized. He had quickly pulled the blinds down around the kitchen and turned around to see him readying the firearm.

"It's a way to defend ourselves if we have to Ian." He shot back.

"Like her?" Bill overlapped the bickering in a loud voice. "Are you sure you're not mistaking it as an infected?"

"It's not…" Beth started in a weak whisper. "...We don't know what it is...it...looks like her, and it spoke!" She finally exclaimed, tears in her eyes with Louis briskly moving over to take a look for himself.

The college student gazed at everyone in growing dread. Frozen in place by the basement, biting her lower lip.

With the disturbance rising, the entrances and windows being double checked for securement, Francis shifted his attention from his sister what what was going on in front of him. He pulled her away from the windows to Kayla before he went to join Louis' side. He noted his mouth was ajar, how large the analyst's eyes were; unblinking and completely focused as he held the blind with an index finger open enough to where he could see clearly.

"They're surely mistaken. Just looked at it wrong..." Bill expectantly dismissed, speeding over to the sink. Francis ushered Louis away, jolting him out of his dumbfounded state and he stiffly moved from the spot for the biker to step in.

To his disbelief it was her. And it was much closer to the house now. Still motionless in a slouched position. The clothes it wore were hers. But dirty and tattered. The head was tilted like its neck was having a hard time supporting the weight. The skin was bruised and sickly white. While its dark brown hair, falling out from that familiar ponytail, was a wild mess around its sunken in face.

And its face…

The way its jaw hung agape. Those chilling, blank eyes devoid of any emotion…

It was Zoey. But 'she' looked dead. The presence visibly sent a shock through Francis' body and he had to stop himself from taking a step back.

"What's it doing? Let me see!" Zoey cried. She ran through to look, but was interrupted when Bill, astonished of seeing the horror in the yard, blocked and shoved her back. She fought against him, "Get outta the way! What do you mean it looks like me?!"

"Stay over there I don't want it to see you." He commanded, holding her arms away.

"No Bill let me see!"

"Zoey stop!"

Her panicked faint voice, and the others' voices barely hit Francis' ears.

As Francis slowly pulled away from the blinds, he could feel heavy, dark fear rain down onto him. His brain struggled to understand what was just beyond their thin barriers. It was something unknown, unexplainable. Leaving him unable to say anything. He tried to, but couldn't.

Deep in his core, something was telling him to run. To get everyone away from this thing. This...entity. It was Zoey, but she was inside. With them. It was disguising itself as her. And he didn't know why. He didn't want to know why.

Cautiously, very cautiously, he pulled the shade open again in hesitation. It remained where he first saw it. Soon though he watched as it held up an arm a second time. Flailing it uselessly, until it grew violent when its body began to convulse out of control.

Francis threw the blind closed once more. The large man turned to the others with Kayla being the first he sees. Her blue-hazel orbs were low. She was quiet and shivering.

"Get in the living room." Francis ordered. He stalked over and pushed her with his arm. Startled out of her shocked state, Kayla held on while backing up until Beth bumped into them and he lead both into said area. He retrieved his own weapon afterwards where he left it next to the heater, and looked at Jordan who nodded his head.

Amber came inside next, nearly covered in sweat. "Jesus Christ...what the hell was that?" She stammered, shaking as well.

"You don't think…" Louis' voice trailed off, looking about the group.

"Don't think what. Finish your Goddamn sentence." Francis blurted, shooting the analyst a cold glance.

Louis winced under the glare. "That this thing is…"

"Whatever came through the board?" Keirstan finished in a small voice. Holding her arms and leaning her shoulder against a wall.

Everyone went silent hearing the theory. Zoey flicked her eyes around until she kept them down, staring hard at the floor.

"...I told you." Keirstan broke the quiet. Francis proceeded to head back in the kitchen with Jordan. "You shouldn't have touched it."

Before Zoey could respond, Bill recoiled and covered his nose. His forehead and eyes wrinkled and he stiffened in disgust. "Oh...God, do you smell that?!" He exclaimed, repulse dripping from each of his words.

They looked at him quizzically but were soon met with a sudden foul smell. It quickly grew stronger, and smelled like sulfur. Francis stopped in his tracks and pinched his nose the worse it got, growling in discomfort; Jordan bumped into him but did the same. As did the others, all reacting appropriately. It made some cough from inhaling the putrid stench before they hastily covered their faces. Stinging their eyes and nauseating the pits of their stomachs.

It was too much. Amber stumbled for the nearest trash can sitting in the game room but didn't make it. She gripped the back of the couch and hunched over, vomiting all over the floor.

"Shit, Ambee!" Ian cried running over to her. His voice muffled from his shirt as he had it covering his nose and mouth. He held her as she vomited again. She started to gasp as the smell invaded her lungs when she was done. The young survivor replugged her nose the moment she had a chance to with Ian raising a hand to do so for her. He quivered with concern, bending down to her level.

"Where the hell is it coming from damn it!" Beth yelled in frustration over the groans and hacking. It felt as though it lingered for far too long. Even with their noses pinched and lips pursed, the survivors could taste the smell in the back of their throats.

Louis hurried to the first air vent he saw in the wall, reaching an arm up to open the register. That is until he slipped on Amber's baseball bat. He hadn't seen it lying in the middle of the floor and it rolled under his foot. Louis threw his hands out to catch himself on a night stand where he inhaled what he expected more of the hot, rotten scent. He scrunched his nose, bracing for it to hit him again.

Slowly, however, the analyst felt his muscles relax. Tension released from his body when he realized it was fading away.

"It-It's going away." Louis rasped. He twisted around at the group, taking in another breath to be sure. There was a hint left, but it wasn't nearly as horrid as it was seconds ago. "Guys," one by one a few of his teammates glanced at him. "It's going away."

"You sure." Kayla hissed.

"Ye-I wouldn't be standing here breathing it!"

There was thumping outside as they did so with hesitation.

"Is everyone alright," Bill called out. "Amber, are you alright?"

"Jordan let's go take care of this fucker." Francis snarled, glaring darkly at the back entry. Amber nodded as an answer whilst Beth, Ian and Keirstan met eyes with each other.

"Francis don't!" Kayla exclaimed, briskly blocking their path with an outburst of "don't be stupid!" From Bill behind the three. She stared up at him with determination.

He returned the gaze. "Move."

She stopped him from pulling her inside by backing up and repeatedly pushed his hand away. "We don't know what it is. So as Ian's said guns probably won't work!"

"It's better than doing…" Jordan stopped when the team heard something else.

The men turned their heads as Kayla traced her eyes at the windows by the front of the living area. Beth had paused from assisting her sister, as a high-pitched noise caught their ears.

It sounded like a Dog whining. Mixed with a little kid who was about to cry...the whining changed in tones, as it trailed over to the front door.

Francis shifted his vision where it was going from over his shoulder. The curtains blocked it from sight while a long, drawn-out groan replaced the whines. It stomped heavily up the steps at uneven, slow pace. Keirstan scrambled away with a frightened whimper and passed Zoey when she broke from the group, scurrying for the casement. She had to see.

"Get you ass back over here!" Keirstan hissed through clenched teeth when she double looked at what she was doing. Beth went after her, though both were ignored when Zoey inched the curtain open. She peeked out while being sure whatever it was wouldn't notice her.

And now, she wished she would've just listened.

Beth caught up to Zoey and noted her demeanor changed like theirs had. She pulled her away when she locked up, then sat her on the sofa. She stared at the floor once again, her hands trembling and breaths shallow.

As the entity slammed and scratched at the door, it released another noise. And by listening carefully, the team could make out as pieces of words. Broken, harsh words. It whined, although kept trying.

"_...Je...u...s...Chr…" _

Worst of all, this was Amber's voice.

"_Wha…hell...was...th...at…?"_

Same accent, same tone of fear.

Alarmed everybody looked at her to find her backing away, emitting a distressed cry and watching the entrance with unspeakable overwhelming terror. Ian once more wrapped her in his arms. Placing a hand on her head as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Ian's lip trembled, glaring at the doorway.

"Get out!" He screamed. In a tone of horror noone has ever heard come from him. It especially startled his college mates and only deepened their fear. "In the name of God, leave us alone! Get the fuck outta here!"

"Ian…" Keirstan squeaked.

His voice alone ran chills through each of them as the entity dragged its nails down the wooden barrier. _"Get...__**out**__…"_

It no longer sounded like Amber. It slowly faded from hers to match Ian's. Its last word deepened into a dark, menacing snarl.

"_Out…"_

Bill started praying. His hands folded together with his head bowed as it started slamming into the door over and over at an increasing pace. Repeating those two words in a loud tone. Roaring angrily in the young survivor's voice.

**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**

_"...Get out!...Get out!...Get out!...GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!"_

The door shook in violence as it psychotically screamed without purpose. Zoey threw her hands up over her ears and curled into a ball, tears leaking from her corners as Keirstan sank to the floor, her own streamed down her cheeks.

"_GeT OuT gEt OuT gEt oUt! GeT oUT!"_

_**WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!**_

"_GGGGGGGEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTT OOOOOOOOUUUUUUTTTTTT! GGGGGGEEETTTT OOOOUUUUUTTTTTT!"_

Banging. Pounding. Scratching. Shrieking. The sensation of impending doom loomed over the survivors whilst it continued the assault on the door. Like it would break in and take them all.

Francis had enough. With his partners recoiling and moving further away from the entrance, shouting and crying in protest, he stormed towards it in a furious pace. Intense anger fresh in his expression. Jordan stopped pursuing him and watched in astonishment as the large man tore the door open.

A loud shotgun blast boomed in their ears. Deafening them all for a moment, when ringing took over.

Silence. Dead, still silence.

Finally, Beth uncovered her ears and opened her eyes when it faded. She stared at her brother who held his firearm in a stone grip. His body language reading he wanted to rip this thing to shreds.

She brushed by a startled Jordan and carefully peeked outside pass Francis' arm.

The shell laid at his feet. When she looked up, she saw nothing there. Nothing at all. She gazed around while holding onto his shirt in sight for what was attacking them.

Whatever it was, now completely absent. Leaving no trace that it was even there.

She thought so at least until she glanced at the entry. And found blood splattered across it.

Francis exhaled a shuddering breath as he stared outside. His gun still raised for another long moment.

He lowered it and twisted around at the group. His skin in a cold sweat as he placed a hand on Beth's shoulder.

"It's time to go." He sighed. Breaking the stunned quiet. The biker nudged the door away and walked through while taking Beth's hand.

"Is it gone...are you sure it's gone…?" Zoey stammered, sniffling loudly. She looked up with wet puffy eyes. Her cheeks flushed from sobbing in fear for her life.

He nodded solemnly. "It's gone."

"Wh-where are we going to go...in the middle of the night?" Louis pointed out.

"You wanna stay here." Francis replied without looking at him. He glanced at Bill instead.

It was far too dangerous right now. At night, traveling in the dark with the worst of infected lurking in the shadows.

As much as he didn't want to, Francis knew they had to leave. Wherever it went the entity could come back.

Bill's features darkened in daunting bitterness. Having the same thoughts as the biker. Noone wanted to possibly encounter it again.

"Right. Let's move. We'll find a vehicle. Go from there." He said in a low tone.

The younger survivors watched the two before exchanging brief glances at one another again.

It didn't take long though, for everyone undress from their costumes and proceed to collect their belongings. Stuffing them in their packs and gathering canned food and bottled water. Muttering to one another, double checking if they had everything.

As Kayla walked through, she looked up from carrying and digging through her bag to see Zoey staring at something on the wall. "You ready. We're leaving."

She remained quiet. Kayla noticed another wave of fear on the college student's face when she came closer, then followed her gaze.

Zoey's first initial. Carved in claw marks over their heads.

Kayla lowered her gaze, and back on Zoey. She was shaking again.

"C'mon." She nudged her gently. Spooking her out of the trance. "Let's get the hell out of here…"

…

With flashlights low the family crept pass the ruined buildings. As he does, Francis made sure the sisters were right by his side. Keeping guard of them from the front, Jordan in the back.

Ambient noises of the infected, moaning in the dark made their presence known. Those who decided to pick a fight or were in the way were taken out right then, while looking for a vehicle big enough to carry all of them.

It took some time searching. Many vehicles were smashed, burnt or completely dead. Soon though, they came across a large chrysler. Sitting alone on the sidewalk.

Amber tugged on its sliding door. But was able to get it open eventually. Francis and Bill checked the exterior as the others climbed inside. Louis taking the front. To their luck, he found a set of keys in the ignition. Now he just had to hope it would turn over.

With the inspection confirmed it was alright, the last two hopped in. The door was firmly slammed shut.

The engine spluttered from lack of use when Louis twisted the keys. He tried a couple of times, until it hummed to life. The dash beeped, and the gas tank read below half full.

Louis pulled out and began the drive to whatever they could find as a refuge for temporal safety.

They all stayed quiet. Noone wanted to look at each other. Instead, out the windows or at the floor.

Francis did the same. His two sisters pressed against him, but not engaging. Just for a feeling of security and comfort. And he held them as if they would fade from his embrace.

He watched the scenery they passed through. Unable to get what had happened to stop haunting his thoughts. He assumed the others were having the same thoughts as him. Wondering what in the holy hell it was.

The messages from the board. It wouldn't say what it was.

The dark, malicious, nasty vibes.

The smell. The fear.

And how it just suddenly disappeared.

It pretended to be a sad lonely spirit. Tried to at least. Because it wanted to be Zoey. It targeted Zoey, since she showed it kindness.

It went for her, because she showed weakness.

As he thought the events over, he could only come up with one possible answer.

'_Demon_.'

He shivered. Still watching the outside.

Louis had checked if there was anything in the CD player, and turned up the volume in an attempt to make them somewhat feel better with some music.

Francis didn't hear the lyrics. Or register if anyone reacted to the noise. All he could hear in his head was the thing slamming against the door.

And its bloodcurdling wails. Screaming at them to get out.

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**

**A/N: Inspired by a horror story I once heard. Future chapters will be shorter!**


	3. Savage Thanks

**November 28, 2019.**

**Thanksgiving.**

**Virginia, North America.**

"Happy Thanksgi!-"

Louis was interrupted when Francis ripped his small calendar from his hand when he held it up with joy. His joy was replaced with despair as he watched his irritated friend clench his teeth and chucked the calendar with so much force, it smashed through a window and vanished outside.

"I hate Thanksgiving." Francis growled, folding his arms.

"Stop being an asshole." Bill resonated. Already walking in with a broom and dustpan from hearing glass shatter and giving him a sour look.

"Ya'll forgot cranberry sauce?" Beth erupted from a kitchen. "What the shit. This dinner is unholy if there isn't cranberry sauce." As she complained she could be heard rummaging noisily through cabinets and shelves.

"You didn't think of it either." Zoey deadpanned also from the kitchen. "'Sides it's most likely gone bad anyway."

"There is no dinner if there's no cranberry sauce." Beth consequently insisted.

"You're gonna eat it expired if you find some."

"Yes."

With Louis examining the window to figure out a way to board it up, Bill was sweeping the glass that didn't make it outside. He stopped to look at Francis now thrown back on a large bean bag chair and snoring. He looked from the biker, to the broom and pan to Francis again and dumped the glass on the floor; then drew his arm back to chuck the dustpan at him. It bounced hard against his chest, jolting him awake. Francis yelled out looking around in alarm, and settled his eyes on Bill who was returning the look with a stern one of his own.

"Eh!" Francis boomed in anger. Bill simply held the broomstick in front of himself like a staff. "Pick this shit up yerself. You broke the window after all." He let the broom drop and walked away, as Louis hurried outside in a panic to retrieve the calendar before it was lost to the elements.

Francis rolled his eyes but felt too lazy to argue. He begrudgingly obliged, reaching over to snatch the pan and rose to grab the broom as well.

"There's isn't much for dinner here!" Beth announced as he swept. He heard a door slam followed by, "not even a Turkey. How is thanksgiving without a Turkey?"

Jordan suddenly came rushing through the living area from a bedroom at the far end of the home. "Darling, I can go hunt for one!" He offered, disappearing into the kitchen, with Keirstan descending a set of stairs from the second floor.

Her face contorted into suspicion. "I wouldn't eat any meat. God knows how the virus affected animals even if they're not showing it."

Jordan popped his head back inside, "you got an idea of what we should have then?"

"I don't fucking know," Keirstan raised her arms either side. "Go to town and hopefully find some non perishables for a makeshift meal?"

"Brilliant!" Jordan immediately praised. He whirled around and marched off, swinging his arms to and fro, with Amber hollering from another direction inquiring what was going on.

Francis and Keirstan side-eyed each other while Louis came panting back inside.

"I've got it." The analyst proudly declared, holding the calendar up. Francis turned to him, and Louis threw it against his chest while twisting away. Holding it tightly, shooting the biker a hateful look.

He scurried off as Francis suddenly heard obnoxious sipping. He turned around finding Kayla laid across the back of a couch drinking a glacier freeze Gatorade. Quietly watching him pick up the glass. They watched each other as he remained confused wondering where she came from while her sips grew louder.

"Young ones-and Francis-get your asses ready. We're going to town!" Bill shouted.

Hearing this, Francis whirled towards the kitchen entrance and dropped the pan with a loud _clunk. _"Who you callin' old?!" He shouted back demandingly. "And why?"

"Where'd you get that anyway." He adds, pointing back to Kayla's drink.

"We're gonna hunt down thanksgiving shit to…"

"Upstairs." Kayla overlapped the answer. "There was a six pack in one of the rooms."

Ian suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs. Steadying his breaths and looking wildly scared with a Gatorade of his own. "AMBEE I'M!-" He screamed, before stepping on his pant leg and falling painfully down the flight. Screaming the whole way.

Amber sighed and ran in hearing the noise as Ian laid sprawled on the floor. He loudly gasped and moaned strange noises with her kneeling by his side getting ready to help him. "Are you alright, can you get up?"

She was answered with more strangled sounds and him shakily trying to raise a hand.

"If you die can I have that?" Kayla asked excitedly, pointing to his Gatorade rolling across the floor.

"You're fine get off the ground." Amber swatted his hand away and started to pull him up. Almost effortlessly, due to her strength buildup from surviving the apocalypse so far. As she did so her boyfriend released even more hysterical gibberish. He earned himself a strange stare from Francis as he leaned over to wrap his arms around Kayla's torso. Then he dragged her off her perch and out of the room.

**…  
**

Louis' hand trembled when he reached for a door handle. Keirstan was looking on from beside him. "Nervous much?"

"No!" Louis exclaimed, shooting her a quick glance. He grabbed the handle and the door shook violently for some seconds until it creaked and fell inwards. Banging on the floor.

"You sure." Keirstan said as he stared inside in paranoia.

With melee weapons in hand the two stepped inside the store. Francis, Beth and Kayla trailed after them. The other half of the team was investigating a building next door.

"I admire your bravery Louis." Beth praised sarcastically. "So fierce, so courageous."

Louis knitted his brow together with a lopsided grin and boldly flexed his muscles. Then Francis stormed by, which made the smaller man shrink back and follow him with his eyes. And the biker flashed him a cocky smile. However they were interrupted when a heavy sack of flour was chucked across the area and exploded against Francis' back, creating a thick cloud of powder.

Solid as a wall, Francis turns around incredulously with flour all over his clothes. Louis was laughing his ass off as whatever canned or packaged goods left was being tossed from shelves by Kayla, after she'd look them over just to discard. So Keirstan and Beth flailed around trying to catch them in baskets they grabbed off a counter.  
Meanwhile, a storm of arguing had erupted from the other market as the girls' flailing got more aggressive.

"I got it!"

"No I do!" Both shouted at each other competitively.

"The fuck's going on." Francis mumbled. Louis moved away from the girls while he dusted the flour off. The arguing was too faint to make out though, so he ignored it as a can soared by and connected with Louis's face.

"Was that cranberry sauce!" Beth yelled and abruptly stopped. Her face brightened as Louis' neck snapped sideways with a pained cry. The contents spilled out of her basket when she dropped it in exchange for the can, and gasped happily reading the label. Then she sat down, tore the lid off and started hogging it all for herself. Her back hunched and turned on them.

"You aren't gonna check if it's still good Senpai?" Keirstan had paused from checking what she caught and grabbed Beth's attention. Her tense face said it all.

Keirstan shrugged, "ok." She said, turning away and being sure not to step on Louis who laid face down on the dirty tiled floor.

As Francis bent down to examine what was dropped on the ground with Kayla continuing to run around and throw things, the arguing grew louder until glass sprinkled on the tiles. Crunching under footfall.

"And I said we should-"

"No! That's disgusting!" Bill cuts Ian off in a loud voice. "Stuffed mushrooms with scalloped Oysters is beyond disgusting. I'm gonna find us a grand corned beef even if have to murder Louis with my own damn hands."

"I'm assuming there wasn't much in there." Keirstan guessed when Amber came up to her. Louis choked out a sob over the squabble as he slowly picked himself up.

"Not at all. But Ian suggested some strange dinner combos that enraged Bill if we find anything somewhere else. What did you get?"

"Nothing much either. Though we barely started till Kayla decided to make a mess of things." Keirstan replied, showing Amber cans of soup, vegetables, chopped fruit and a box of herb stuffing.

"Quit throwin' it everywhere." Francis scowled when his sister kept it up. She side-eyed him and started tossing whatever she held upwards like confetti. Francis gave her a bored expression and looked just in time to see Jordan recoiling in fear with Beth hissing furiously at him, looming over her cranberry sauce like she was guarding it with her life.

Ian then held up a loaf of wheat bread in one hand and a large container of yogurt in the other. "How 'bout this combination." He challenged with a gaping smile.

"Son that's bread's moldy I can see it through the bag n' the yogurt's more than likely spoiled." The veteran shot down after turning from investigating shelves.

"Well you come up with something," Ian laughed dropping both items then putting his hands behind his head. "Besides the corned beef."

"I will find us corned beef!"

"What if it's gone bad too huh?!"

Zoey looked outside to see some common infected heading for them. "OH! I've got this!" She threw her hands up before drawing her rifle.

"I want round toast." Kayla randomly announced as Francis picked her up by the scruff of her jacket with ease. His forehead wrinkled in confusion. "You want what?" He asked over the gunshots and fighting.

"Round toast."

"...Bagels?" Francis made a guess, squinting his eyes and raising his brows. "Yes bagels." Beth confirmed, she held up an index finger with the other hand on her hip as Kayla licked her top lip.

"-At's also disgusting."

"Everything I say is disgusting."

Beth then kicked Jordan's hand when she saw him reaching for her sauce. He screeched a very unmanly screech while pulling his hand away, now sucking on his knuckles and giving her a sorrowful look. Keirstan, Amber and Louis watched it all in amusement.

"With the right recipes I'll make us a buffet!" Bill angrily roared.

Before Ian could retaliate, there was suddenly a loud bang. Then a car alarm was piercing the air.

Startled, all whipped their eyes at Zoey who had gritted her teeth and stared at what she did. Her firearm still held out in front.

It wasn't long when figures started to emerge from where they were hiding. Searching for the noise in agitation with their numbers growing. Quickly, they spotted the wailing vehicle, its headlights flashing and began screaming and running in their direction.

Zoey drew her weapon back to rest it on her shoulder. "I got 'em." She states proudly.

"Yeah great job Zoe!" Francis shouted sarcastically.

Windows soon started to shatter around the store, as infected crashed through in a crazed frenzy shoving and falling over each other to get in. With guns going off Keirstan hastily threw their goods into her bag and zipped it up, pinching her finger hard enough to yank back and shake her hand from the feeling. She was about to go however felt a heavy weight slam into her back. Keirstan yelled as the infected dragged her down while pulling on her straps, snapping its jaws as saliva flew from its lips trying to rip at her neck. She cursed in frustration, trying to thrash it off as it pulled itself dangerously closer until a boot kicked it hard in the face. Its head snapped back and gave Keirstan time to scramble up whilst grabbing her cricket bat from the floor.

Kayla kicked the common back a second time before Keirstan broke its neck with a mighty swing. Both then retreated to Francis who pumped bullets in their attackers, being sure the girls were behind him as he fired.

"Get out! They'll swarm this place soon enough!" The biker shouted.

Ian, Beth and Jordan swung their melee weapons back and forth together. Squirting blood all over as Ian shoved one away by its chest. The group was being forced towards the back of the store as most fired into the infected crowd. Others had their faces smashed in if they got too close.

Bill shouted as he stabbed through the jugular of another, causing it to convulse and gurgle on his blade. It grabbed his clothes and left bloody finger marks before he pushed it off by its forehead and stomped its face in. Bill then double looked out one of the broken windows and spotted a logo spelled in large red letters.

"QUICK! Head for that price chopper none of us saw!" Bill hollered, pointing with his knife.

"Shouldn't we get to safety?!" Louis reminded, as he shot attackers charging to get in.

"Not! Without my! BEEF!" Bill roared in determination, pumping his limbs while running towards the window and hurling himself outside on the last booming word.

Francis watched him leave when he felt impatient shoving. He looked down to see Kayla and Amber flimsily throwing themselves against him yelling, "come on move! You said we need to leave! Let's go!" Over each other.

He took a step back while also hearing distraught screaming louder than anything else.

Francis saw it was Beth wailing at the top of her lungs with Zoey holding her in a tight hug. She was apologizing profusely and he shifted to see them staring sorrowfully at what was left of Beth's cranberry sauce spilled out of the can, and splattered on the floor.

He shot them an unbelieving face. "We'll find more!" Francis hollered, throwing Kayla and Amber in front of him and pushing all four towards the exit.

"No, No! My sauce!" Beth cried fighting against him.

Francis sighed and bent down to pick her up. He followed the survivors outside as Beth laid limp in his arms sobbing.

"AAHH!...Hahahahahahahahahahaha!" Bill's laughing dominated any enraged screams or wails as the sick pursued.

"Remember!" Jordan panted, cupping one hand by his mouth and swinging the other. "Everything's-"

"Fucking shut up!" The veteran bellowed, glaring over his shoulder. Just as he reached the entrance Beth performs a flying kick which sends him soaring, screaming and crashing through the damaged sliding doors.

"Atta girl!" Bill heard Francis roar in laughter. Groggily, he lifted his head where he laid to see the young survivor race for the aisles.

Francis came stomping in next. He bent down to grab Bill's jacket to haul him up then threw him away as he watched his sister take off deeper into the market. "Beth wait, hold up a second!"

"No waiting. Grab what ya'll can n' go!" Bill exclaimed, also taking off.

Eventually the survivors were scattered about. Running through the nearly empty lanes and grabbing what they could to throw in their baskets or carts with the infected barging in.

"AAAHHH!" Louis bellowed as he beat one away with a stiff loaf of garlic bread. "CARBS FOR EVERYONE!" Kayla hollered over him from nearby, also weaponizing bags of bread while standing on a display case. The infected were stopped in their tracks when she chucked loafs that burst open against them, and were rubbing crumbs out of their eyes as moldy, crumbling slices flew all over. One tripped over its shoelace and fell face first through a stand that broke in half and Kayla stomped down on its head. As she ran Louis double looked to see her go and hurled what was left of the bread away. "KKAAYYLLAA!" He screamed and chased after her.

From another section, Amber thrusts two boxes in each hand in front of herself. "What kind of rice do you like. Brown," she shook the brown rice package. "Or wild."  
As the chaos went on Ian read both from next to her and shrugged. "Take both I don't think anybody will be picky."

"You can find another weird combination to piss off Bill even more." She chuckled, throwing them in her basket.

"What do you think he'd say to grilled pineapple?"

"He'll probably stab you."

Infected came scrambling up and over the shelves either side of them. Amber dropped the basket at the same time one fell onto Ian and he stumbled towards the shelves. She went to beat it off him when a second knocked her aim off target. "Augh!" Ian Shouted when her baseball bat was slammed across his shoulders.

"Sorry!"

Both survivors twisted around and pushed them away. Amber went to swing at one with two more coming from both sides, however the infected she tried to hit moved and she ended up swinging into Ian's stomach.

"I'm sorry!" She cried through gritted teeth when she saw his pained expression, placing a hand over the spot.

He blew through his cheeks and brought out his M16A4. "You shall not have my rice!" Ian hollered, firing away. He felt her eyes boring a hole into him and adds, "or my Amber!"

She grinned raising her bat, and he glanced over his shoulder with a wildly concerned look when she brought it down hard repeatedly. Deeply caving in an attacker's forehead.

"I've got it." Amber assured with her arms spread apart. The infected dropped to its knees and hits the ground with blood leaking out from its veiny, pale eyes. "Not the first couple times." Ian reminded looking over the corpse and baseball bat.

When she opened her mouth to reply, a couple gunshots rang out. Blood pooled down on the floor from above as another body collapsed at their feet. "Eh, you seen any alcohol layin' around?" Francis called while they turned to him.

Amber cupped a hand over her ear, "what!" She replied with a confused look and Ian shooting another one charging from behind the biker.

"Alcohol! Have ya seen any left." He repeated impatiently.

"Nope. Sorry friend." Ian answered.

"Son of a fuckingsaurus!" Francis exclaimed in annoyance, stomping away without waiting for another response. Shouldering his shotgun, he blasted rounds and cursed up a storm that increased in volume while passing the empty wine and beer aisles Francis previously checked. He traded the firearm for his machete, and slashed a common's throat wide open when it barreled towards him. Then, from the corner of his eye he saw another one coming. The thing lunged, so he ducked which had it roll across his back onto the floor, where he quickly stomped a boot down on its cheek.

"Fra-han-cis!" He heard an excited sob right as he raised the machete. He looked to find Beth running at him with a basket half full of cans on one arm and holding a can high in each hand. She was in absolute joy, smiling an enormous smile with the shelves tipping each other over in a domino effect behind her. Several panicked commons, including Jordan, Zoey, Keirstan and the cart they had soared over head with them.

"I found so much cranberry sauce!" She hollered, louder than the extraordinary thunderous booms, shattering glass and roars of pain. She held them up to him and he smirked while stabbing the pinned infected between the eyes.

"Good work love." He praised, earning a proud tongue blep. She went to open one still bleping, so he placed a hand on the can resulting in a pout. "Why don't you save it for later."

"'Cause I've got plenty."

"I know but," Francis gestured at the craze as a reminder, and giving her a questionable face.

"I can multitask."

He tugged it out of her hand and dropped it in her basket. "Later." To his luck, she begrudgingly obliged.

"Have you seen Kayla?" Both then asked in unison, surprising each other.

As if summoned by the question, from above there was a loud snapping noise. Alarmed the pair whipped their eyes up to see her, Bill and Louis holding onto a string of ceiling lights. Swinging down towards them, the younger two also had baskets of their own with their merchandise bouncing around inside. They were yelling, Bill looked madder than hell and rambling about something. Francis and Beth scrambled out of the way as the lights broke, the trio swung by and crashed into a small crowd of infected like bowling pins.

"How in the fresh fuck did you pull that?!" Francis exclaimed as he and Beth ran over to her. Louis was now fighting a few of the sick over a can and Bill roared in fury, scaring the rest of the swarm back. "Are you alright?"

Beth stamped her feet a couple of times in disappointment. "Now I want to do that."

"No." Francs sternly answered, pointing at her.

"Look!" Kayla yelled with pride digging through her finds. "I found canned peas, canned potatoes, a bunch of spices…" she went on as Francis blinked and looked ahead of her in time to see Bill grab Ian by the collar of his jacket. Amber looked in amazement from what she saw then to the boys.

"There's no corned beef anywhere!" He yelled psychotically in Ian's startled face.

"I di-"

"I looked everywhere."

"Bill I d-"

"EVERYWHERE I SAY."

"It was all gonna be rotten and disgusting anyway!" Came Zoey's voice, flailing from the destructive mess with Keirstan hanging onto her jacket's sleeve looking half dead.

Bill let go and stuck a hip out, a hand rested on it with sass. "Oh so you're suggesting we feast on Ian's unreasonable food combinations?" He snarked, snapping his fingers.

"I'd rather eat those than rotten meat!" Zoey yelled, with hands out over the continuous infected screaming and rampaging.

"NO! These are my apricots!" Louis angrily protested amid his ambush. They piled on him, all thrashing and sinking to the ground battling for the can. "MIIIIIIIINE!"

"SOMEBODY FUCKING HELP HIM!" Jordan bellowed in a sobbing tone. He ran with his firearm pointed in front of himself and started shooting away, the infected's heads snapped back or fell over with streams of blood squirting about. Louis stretched his long arm out from under the pile as far as he could to save his apricots.

"Some of those combinations don't sound too bad actually." Zoey said thoughtfully, remembering a few suggestions.

"I'm not eating hot sauce and soup concoctions!" Bill protested, "I dunno what else his family liked for thanksgiving but a lot of it sounds atrocious."

"Till you try it!" Ian grinned, flashing a thumbs up.

With the arguments going on Francis, Amber, the sisters and Keirstan were keeping them at bay; while Jordan continued to cover Louis as he dug himself out of the corpses. Their shrieks and fake cries mixed with furious roaring until Jordan fired behind the analyst at more of them barreling through flammables.

Beth turned around in time to see the danger, and her eyes widened. "Jordan stop! There's flammables over there!" She yelled, racing to him. "That blind bastard." Keirstan sighed and followed.

Francis looked from left to right in alarm, and saw Amber grit her teeth with her face drowning in fear as she passed the two girls. His own face dropped and orbs widening as he realized what was going on. "Beth get away from there!" He shouted giving chase. As he did Kayla whirled around holding something high above her head. "Hey Frannie I even found-"

_Whoosh.  
_

_**BOOOOOM!  
**_

Merchandise and stands were destroyed as black smoke swelled to engulf everything and set off alarms. The survivors felt the ground shake as explosions went on, making them stumble into a run or dive for the ground when debris flew their way.

Beth skidded to a stop and scrambled away passed Francis, who bulldozed her in the opposite direction. He raised an arm to shield himself from inhaling smoke, and felt small pieces of metal slicing through his clothes and the back of his neck. He ushered Beth to keep going when she stopped to wait for him while covering his wounds.  
Infected wailed in agony, flailing out of the smoke with flames licking their skin. Some kept reaching for and chased the survivors until they dropped to their knees. The survivors, as they got up to run, picked up what edibles laid on the ground to throw in their packs on their way out.

"I see the van!" Keirstan shouted, pulling out the keys from her pocket. "Hurry!"

As he ran, Francis caught something from the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he raced for what was on the ground. Not letting anyone know what he was doing. So they ran far ahead without him.

The survivors staggered out of the entrance. Helping each other or tripping over debris when Kayla looked around to see her brother wasn't behind them. "Where's Francis!" Her whole body filled with panic, searching more frantically for him.

In the same moment she yelled he was running for the doors. He jumped out, his chest heaving and his knuckles white gripped on his find. Louis looked down to see what it was. To his disbelief, it was a thirty pack of busch.

"Are you serious Rivers?!"

Another explosion rumbled. "Haul ass!" Zoey barked. The team sprinted away from the price chopper as fast as they could, summoning attackers who appeared among abandoned vehicles. They screamed their unnatural screams, scrambling over hoods and knocked over carts to get to them.

Finally, the whole building went up. Glass from the front of the market violently shattered outwards, with orange lighting the inside and overwhelming the rest of the horde.

"NO!" Bill dropped to his knees screaming. Those large red letters sparked while breaking away. The steel in them twisting and moaning when they crashed down into the pavement.

"I could've gone and taken another look…" he dropped to his hands next with his head bowed.

_"WWWHHHYYY?!" _He howled at the sky in absolute distraught. "Wwhhyyhhhyyyy…"

"What the fuck's his issue?" Amber questioned. Fire swelled into the air from the roof as the group stood behind him.

"I coulda made us a glorious feast."

"The corn beef's all gone Bill." Zoey shot down with her hands on her hips. "Give up."

"Hey," Came Francis' voice. Grabbing Ian, Kayla and Jordan's attention. The biker stalked towards them, the beer still in his hand. His face scrunched with a deep frown. Kayla and Ian backed away as he towered over Jordan who was staring up at him with a gaping smile.

"Were ya shooting with yer eyes closed, you coulda killed us all!"

He held an index finger up with the other hand on his hip. "But I didn't. I killed the sick.~"

Francis stared at him unbelievably until he peered his eyes at Beth. She merely waved at him, with Louis and Zoey dragging a distraught Bill to their hijacked van. Keirstan waited by the door as the veteran babbled, and he was thrown inside.

Francis gazed back at the burning market when he walked over the van. He then noticed both of his girls looking between him and the alcohol unamused. "That's what you went back for?" Beth demanded.

"It's the same thing with your cranberry sauce. A man's gotta have his drink." He chuckled, climbing inside. "Hey. Don't bring your alcoholism in with my berryism. Alcoholism will kill you, berryism will not. There's a difference." Beth educated while he watched her with pursed lips.

"I don't think that pack's enough to kill 'im." Kayla stated, gazing between them. Amber leaned out from behind the van to give the three a strange look.

"I love you guys too," Francis remarked sarcastically, moving over to give them room. "Get yer little asses in here."

Before Beth could say more, Kayla lunged and shoved her inside. Her shocked face broke Francis into laughter with them crawling across his lap.

With their groceries in the back, the doors were slammed shut as Bill continued sobbing over the beef. Zoey was yelling at him to move on and Keirstan turned the engine over. And merrily drove away.

**…  
**

_Whack!  
_

"Hey!" Jordan pulled his hand back and shook it from getting slapped.

"I said hands off my apricots." Louis warned.

"Who's the one that got ya outta that ambush?" He laughed while Louis tugged the lid open. He greedily stuffed his mouth full, "yeah and who's the one who blew up the market." He blackmailed through sloppy chewing.

"My hands are so abused." Jordan wept, scurrying away.

The counters were lined with groceries. Stuffing, canned chopped fruit, canned vegetables, spices, rice, instant potatoes, soup, boxed pasta, sauces, jugs of water and many infamous cans of cranberry sauce. There were also items for a makeshift dessert like cereal, granola bars, various cookies, pie filling in case they wanted to somehow make one, bags of chips and chocolates.

"I still want corned beef." Bill grumbled. He stared down at some cookies he took with his arms folded on the table.

"For fuck sake, get over it William!" Zoey exclaimed, whipping a wooden spoon at him. Sauce splattered on the floor since she was busy making pasta although he didn't spare a look at her.

Francis kicked back in a recliner next to the boarded up window he destroyed earlier. He felt the bandages on his neck stretch while pulling the foot rest out. He opened a busch with one finger, tore open a bag of potato chips he snatched and settled in. Then watched Keirstan, Amber and Ian trying to fix the T.V until something in it sparked making all three jump back.

"I think I saw a CD player outback. Probably runs on batteries. We could listen to somethin' if you wanna give that a try." Francis suggested with crumbs flying from his mouth.

"Alright I guess." Keirstan replied.

As they left Francis washed down the chips with some beer, and reached for some more just to grab thin air. Confused, he looked where he put them down until he heard chewing, and found Beth had taken the bag. She stared at him, chewing slowly and loudly.

"Francis…" someone whispered.

The biker half-lidded his eyes and looked at his right. Kayla stood on her knees with a thin grin. He went to ask what she needed when she held up a bottle of imperial blue. _"~Look what I found.~"_

A chorus of heavenly music ran through Francis' head and his eyes grew enormous at the sight. "Oh…"

"Augh." Beth gave it a disgusted look.

Francis set the beer down and pitifully reached for the whiskey with his bottom lip quivering. Kayla yanked it back, earning herself a look of despair. She giggled twisting it open and took a large swig. Her face quickly scrunched with her lips pursed and eyes squeezed shut, regrettingly swallowing it with Francis laughing smugly. "You ain't built to down a whole bottle." He grunted, taking it when she handed it over and swallowed an even larger gulp.

"I've done it with Jack Daniels before." She argued and stole his busch.

"Then you broke our friend's ice tray." Beth reminded. "Among many other things."

"I thought she dropped the bottle!" Ian called.

Francis chuckled some more through sips until Zoey yelled out. "Ya'll, come get your food!"

The CD player was dropped when the trio came back inside. Almost immediately, the survivors stampeded for the kitchen extremely loudly. Making even more noise as they disappeared through the entrance.

"Jesus." Francis proclaimed, watching them go. Beth watched as well with horror filling her face. "Fuck!" She sprang up and raced after them. "Anyone touches my sauce before me dies!" She promised on her way in.

"Don't be throwing them at me!" They heard her yell as Francis got up. He pinched and rubbed the bridge of his nose and looked down at Kayla who was now lying on the floor, her face hidden.

"Don't take much for ya." He shook his head, and bent down to grab her ankles to gently drag her inside.

"Happy thanksgiving!"

"Francis and Kayla get in here now!"

"Quit shouting or I'll take longer just to piss you off." Francis threatened.

And so the team had a glorious feast together. No corned beef, the food was simple to Ian's dismay. And everyone survived the clusterfuck of total chaos this thanksgiving has bestowed to see another day.


End file.
